Endodontics Market Size, Growth, Share & Trends Analysis

High prevalence of oral diseases is one of the key drivers of the global endodontics market. The WHO Global Oral Health Status Report (2022) highlighted that an estimated 3.5 billion individuals suffer from oral diseases, three-quarters of whom live in middle-income countries. The Global Burden of Disease Study (2022) also reported that 2.37 billion individuals have cavities in their permanent teeth and that over 530 million children have decay in their primary teeth. The American Association of Endodontists reports that over 25 million root canal treatments are done annually in the US and that nearly 23 million endodontic treatments occur yearly in Europe. These estimates represent the high demand for endodontic treatments in developed areas. As the global prevalence of dental caries is seen, the demand for early diagnosis and high-end endodontic treatment will likely continue fueling market growth.

The premium price of advanced endodontic treatments continues to be the main limiting factor for market growth. Though technologies such as nickel-titanium (NiTi) rotary file systems, cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), dental operating microscopes, and ultrasonic irrigation systems have improved treatment accuracy and clinical success, they contribute to overall procedural costs. In countries with poor or no dental insurance coverage, patients may have to pay the full amount out of pocket, as much as USD 300 to more than USD 2,000 for a single root canal, depending on the complexity of the case and location. Even in developed nations, where dental insurance is prevalent, endodontic care is usually partially covered at best, requiring significant out-of-pocket costs from patients. This cost burden is still restricting patient access and retarding the broader adoption of advanced endodontic care, especially in price-sensitive markets.

There is a significant opportunity presented by the growing number of dental service organizations (DSOs). Large corporate groupings are quickly being supplanted by individual dental clinics, particularly in the US, UK, Spain, and several Southeast Asian countries. Due to economies of scale, increased purchasing power, and access to private equity funding, DSOs can invest more in state-of-the-art dental technologies, including cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT), nickel-titanium rotary systems, and dental operating microscopes. Another factor propelling market expansion is the increased desire among young dentists to work for DSOs, which streamline operations and increase accessibility to high-quality care. US legal developments that let non-dentists own dental practices have facilitated the adoption of high-end dental endodontic solutions in a more structured and profitable environment, spurring DSO expansion.

The endodontics market is generally confronted with the immense challenge of insufficiently trained specialists globally. Sophisticated interventions such as rotary instrumentation, microscopic endodontics, and regenerative therapy require high technical skills, which are lacking in many general practitioners. The World Health Organization recommends 3–5 endodontists per 100,000 population as the ideal ratio; however, in practice, availability is mostly less than that. In 2024, the US was estimated to have approximately 6,500 active endodontists among nearly 200,000 dentists, representing only two endodontists per 100,000 population—short of the recommended standard. More importantly, specialists' distribution is highly concentrated in urban areas, so rural and underserved areas receive very limited access to care. The problem is even more urgent in developing countries, where specialist-to-population ratios are low, and general dentists may be the main providers of endodontic treatment despite a lack of advanced qualifications. The worldwide shortage limits patient access to prompt and high-quality treatment and presents a long-term threat to the endodontics market.